Combination organ stop-action.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T. AUSTIN, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO AUSTIN ORGANCOMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

COMBINATION ORGAN STOP-ACTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 11, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN T. AUSTIN, a citizenof the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartfordand State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Combination Organ Stop-Actions, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to combination organ stop actions, one of theprimary objects of the invention being to provide effective mechanism bywhich the stops of the organ can be operated in different combinationsto thereby obtain different effects.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of the presentspecification I have represented in detail two of the several forms ofembodiment of the invention which to enable those skilled in the art topractice the same will be set forth fully in the following description.I do not, of course, restrict myself to this particular disclosure; Imay depart therefrom in several respects within the scope of theinvention defined by the claims following said description.

Referring to said drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view of combinationorgan stop action involving my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionalview of the same with additional parts.

Like characters refer to like parts through the several figures of thedrawings.

In a pipe organ there are what are known as stops, and I provide meanswhereby these stops can be operated in different combinations, or I mayat one time effect the action of but a single stop, while just en suingthis I may operate two or a large number of stops.

The invention comprises as to one of its broader aspects, a plurality ofstops, a primary controlling member, and improved intermediate means foroperating the stops in different combinations. There may be instanceswhere there are several of these controlling members and they may beeither manually or mechanically operable. In case they are manuallyoperable they will be located at diil'erent places about the organ, butpreferably readily accessible to the player.

'There are as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 several stops 5 each comprising astop slider 6 which it is necessary for me to describe in detail as theyare of an ordinary and wellknown kind and because there is nothing novelin the stops themselves, which as will be understood are operated by theopening of the stop sliders 6. The stop sliders 6 are closed-byretracting the same, all as well understood. As a matter of fact I mightemploy stops totally different from those illus trated. In theorganization shown in said Figs. 1 and 2 there is preferably a carrierfor a stop combination-sheet, and this carrier may vary decidely as tonature; the one represented being denoted by 7 and be ing preferably ofconducting material, for example sheet aluminum for a reason that willhereinafter appear. Although this carrier or traveling table is shown asrectangular in form, its shape is an immaterial matter. Said carrier ortable 7 as will hereinafter appear sustains the combination sheet 8 ofinsulating material hereinafter more particularly described, and in turnis mounted on the stationary table or shelf 9, being given through theaid of suitable means an intermittent or step-by-step advancingmovement. The means shown for accomplishing this particular action ofthe traveling carrier or stop combination sheet table 7 will behereinafter described. The said carrier or table 7 is shown having atone end th erect the cross piece 10 of insulating material provided withbinding posts 11 corresponding in the construction shown, with thenumber of stops 5. To the lower ends of the binding posts 11 areconnected the butts or shanks ofthe resilient contact members or springfingers 12, the free ends of which are bent practically in V-form for areason that will hereinafter appear. As a means for advancing the stopsliders 6 or their equivalents, the electromagnets 13 or analogous meansmay be conveniently provided, the bases of said magnets being fastenedin some convenient manner to the framework of the organ and thearmatures thereof being carried upon levers 14 pivotally mounted on theframing and loosely connected with the stop sliders which are normallyheld closed in some suitable manner as by the springs 15.

The stop sliders 6 are retracted when their cooperating magnets havebeen deencrgized, by springs 15 connected therewith.

Any source of energy may be provided for the electromagnets, there beingas will be understood one magnet for each stop; for this purpose I haveshown the battery 16. From one pole of the-" battery 16 the conductor orwire 17 extends, the conductor 18 hereinafter described extending fromthe opposite pole of the battery. The conductor 17 as shown is connectedwith the binding post 19 carried by the cross piece 20 of insulatingmaterial, (on the stationary table 9.) To the lower end of the bindingpost 19 is connected the resilient contact member 21, the free portionof which is bent downward to engage the upper surface of the metallicplate 7, for example through an elongated slot- 22 in the combinationsheet 8. From the conductor 18 lead the branch wires 23 eachconnected toone pole of a magnet 13, branch wires 24 leading from the opposite polesof said magnets, and being connected with the binding posts 11. When,therefore, a contact or spring finger 12 engages the conducting plate ortable 7, the local circuit including a magnet, will be closed, so thatsaid magnet can effect the operation of a stop. If several of suchcontacts engage the table 7 or what is the same thing, conducting meansthereon, several stops will be operated, thus obtaining a combination asit is known, it being the purpose of the combination sheet 8 to securedifferent combinations in desired sequence. For example one piece ofmusic may require in its execution certain combinations, while anotherpiece may necessitate entirely different combinations. Of course, inemploying electrical means, it is not necessary to use therein theconstruction described as I can obtain the same results by entirelydifferent means. There is an advantage in employing a flat combinationsheet such as that de-- scribed, in that the sheet if of paper can beplaced between the pages of music or if of metal can be otherwiseconveniently stored away for use as occasion requires. Preferably thoughnot necessarily the combination sheet is of paper, and relatively heavycardboard can be advantageously utilized in this connection from whichit will be apparent that said sheet is inherently flat being differentin this respect from the thin very flexible sheets used in automaticpiano players and organs and which are wound on rolls. This sheet 8 islaid upon the table 7 and is removably associated therewith in anydesir-- able manner, for instance by the clips 25 fastened suitably tosaid table 7. As shown this combination sheet has perforations 26disposed in transverse rows, there being as shown fifteen of such rows,although the number of rows is inconsequential. The perforations are soplaced as to receive the free ends of the spring contacts 12 which areprojected therethrough and onto the table 7 automatically or by the.resilience of said spring contacts. There are as illustrated sevenperforations in the first row, and as the table 7 is advanced seven ofthe spring contacts 12 are projected through these perforations tosimultaneously effect as already indicated, the energization of theseven corresponding magnets 13 and the seven associated stops 5, thestops being in act-ion as long as the free ends of the contacts 12 areagainst the table 7. As said table is advanced the free ends of thecontacts ride out of the holes, thus deenergizing said magnets, whichcondition continues until the spring contact-s ride in perforations of asecond row to obtain either a different or the same combination ofstops, the action so far as the intermediate mechanism is concernedbeing automatic.

Various means may be provided for advancing the table 7; that shown willnow be described. Fastened to the under side of said table is the rack27 cooperative with which is the spring operable pawl 28 pivotallysupported in the constructionshown, by the lever 29, the operatingspring for the pawl 28 being denoted by 30 and being connectedrespectively with the tail of said pawl and with the supporting lever 29therefor, the spring serving constantly to maintain the point or activeend of the pawl in the tooth spaces of the rack 27. There is shownpivotally connected with the lever 29 one end of the link 31, theopposite end of said link being likewise jointed to the rod 32 guided bylugs or cars on the supporting bracket 33, fastened in some suitablemanner to the framework of the organ. The lever 29, link 31 and rod 32are held in their retracted positions in some suitable way the coiledspring 3% answering suitably in this connection, encircling the rod 32and bearing against a collar 35 thereon and also against one of the earson the bracket 33. The rod 32 is equipped at its outer end with thearmature 36 of the electro-magnet 37 attached to the body of the bracket33, to one pole of which the wire 38 is connected, said wire being alsoconnected with the wire 18 already described. From the opposite pole ofsaid magnet 37, the wire 39 extends, being electrically connected withthe switch 40 which may be readily operated by the button 41, saidswitch 40 being cooperative with the contact member 42 connected as bythe wire 43 with the post 19 already described, the circuit embracingthe electro-magnet 37 being shown as open in Fig. 2. To close thecircuit the switch l0 will be pushed against the contact member 42,thereby energizing the magnet 37 and causing said magnet to attract itsarmature 36 and imparting through the rod 32 and link 31, a forwardoradvancing swing to the lever 29 to cause the pawl 28 to advance therack 27 and thereby the table 7 and combination sheet 8 one step, a stepin the construction shown equaling the distance or interval between tworows of the perforations 26. It, therefore, follows that each time theswitch 40 constituting in the' construction now being described, theprimary controlling member is operated, the table 7 is advanced onestep, and by the action of said switch the table can be so operated asto bring the first row of perforations into position to receiveappropriate contact members 12. To play another combination the tablewill be advanced a step to bring a second row of perforations intoposition to receive appropriate contacts 12, the steps of movement ofthe table being preferably the same as the interval between the rows ofperfora tions.

The push rod 44 engageable with the pawl 28 can be provided-to disengagethe said pawl from the rack 27 when it is desired to draw back the table7 which action may be accomplished either mechanically or manually. Inthe construction shown the table is returned by a thrust of the handthereon.

What I claim is:

1. The combination of a substantially flat carrier having a conductingportion, a flat perforated sheet of insulated material fitted tlatwiseagainst and removably mounted on said carrier, means for advancing saidcarrier, a plurality of stops, magnets for operatingthe stops, a sourceof energy, electrical connections between the source of energy and themagnets including said conducting portion, and circuit closerssupportedindependently of the carrier and automatically projectablethrough .the perforations in said sheet and into engagement with saidconducting portion on the movement of the carrier.

2. The combination of a traveling approximately fiat metallic carrier, aperforated sheet fitted flatwise against and removably mounted upon saidcarrier, said sheet being of insulating material, a plurality of stops,magnets for operating said stops, a source of electrical energy,circuitconnections between said source of energy and the magnets,including said carrier, and yieldable circuit closers supportedindependently of the carrier, and automatically projectable through theperforations in said sheet, on the movement of said carrier.

3. The combination of a carrier having a conducting portion, aperforated sheet of insulated material removably fitted against theconducting portion of said carrier, means for moving said carrier tothereby change the position of said sheet, a plurality of stops, magnetsfor operating the stops, a source of energy, electric connectionsbetween the source of energy and the magnets, including said conductingportion, and circuit closers supported independently of the carrier, andautomatically projectable through the perforations in said sheet andinto engagement with said conducting portio-n, on the movement of saidcarrier.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN T. AUSTIN.

